My activism is still evolving

Senior Liliana Coelho carried this sign at the Women’s March on Washington last month. (Nadia Spock/TKS)

I wanted to share a sincere apology for the cis-centric sign I painted and protested with at the Women’s March on Washington. My privilege blinds me; your privilege blinds you. Let’s continue to call out and support one another!

5 Comments

Sweetheart, your feelings on the matter are yours and yours alone. But this sign in the photo represents a message that all men need to hear bc we live in a misogynist patriarchy that is violent toward women. If anyone is upset that you carry this message, I would implore those people to stay silent on matters that don’t impact them. Because any message that tells a woman to stay silent about the violent threats her body faces is inherently sexist and misogynist. It’s not okay. A woman’s ally would surely let her speak.

As someone born a man who now proudly claims my inner female identity, I applaud your brave apology, and I accept it. I’m tired of women speaking on issues that reduce femininity to vulvas and vaginas and breasts and ovaries. I AM a WOMAN, but I don’t have those things. So let’s move away from what divides us and focus on what connects us. Identity.

I think this sign is fine, considering the women’s march was in response to people trying to restrict and legislate female anatomy and bodies, specifically our reproductive rights. I agree with Mary and Rebecca, anybody who would ask for an apology for this is most assuredly not a feminist.

Filomena, you’re the one dividing women by insisting we don’t talk about our biology, which is the basis of female oppression. Stay in your lane, this woman owed nobody an apology for talking about her reproductive rights.